The Forest and the Trees
by DaniDeservedBetter
Summary: Some things are hard to let go of. Cross-posted from Ao3.


Izuku wasn't sure he could take this anymore.

It had been a tough day— endless studying, a pop quiz, and he'd ended up losing his versus exercise to _Mineta _of all people. He'd tripped in the lunchroom and spilled his food all over himself, _and _his alarm clock didn't go off so he'd ended up being late to class. Today was just not his day.

But he could've dealt with all that. He was no stranger to bad days.

This, however, was just too much.

He glanced across the plaza, where Todoroki crouched in a defensive stance behind an ice wall he'd conjured, Iida helping Ochako from where she'd fallen to the ground. The table they'd been sitting at was in pieces, ice cream splattered sadly across the sidewalk. The rest of the foliage around them was in tatters. Wincing, Izuku ran his fingers across his arm. The initial explosion had sent him flying, and the scrapes on his skin from where he'd landed burned pretty badly. His poor dress shirt had all kinds of rips in it.

The villain attack had come from nowhere— one second, his friends were trying to make him feel better, and the next a blast of heat had engulfed the plaza and Izuku's world turned sideways. People ran screaming in every direction. In the distance, crumbling debris sent echoes pounding across the alleyways.

Izuku peeled himself from the concrete. Iida ran toward him, followed closely by Ochako and Todoroki. They gathered around, concern riddling their faces, hands outstretched in an effort to help.

"Are you quite all right, Midoriya?" Iida asked.

"Yeah—" He grimaced. "Just surprised, is all." He whirled around, keen eyes surveying the plaza for anything that could reveal what just transpired. Smoke and dust obscured most of his vision, but between dissipating wisps of the stuff he could see two bulky figures lumbering down the street. His eyes narrowed. "A villain attack?"

"Seems that way," Todoroki mumbled. "It also seems that no pros have shown. So— shall we?"

Iida nodded. "That appears to be the best course of action. We shall keep them occupied until the heroes arrive, and in the process try to protect as many as we can."

"Right," Izuku said, as they each steeled themselves to action. He glanced between the villains. "Okay, Iida— if you let Uraraka piggyback off you, you can rush in and let her immobilize the villains. Then, me and Todoroki can come behind and use our combat moves to knock them out. If we're careful, we can get this fight over with before anyone is seriously injured."

Todoroki smirked. "Sounds like a plan."

Iida nodded. Then, he lowered himself to his knees, allowing Ochako to scramble up and position herself on his back. Ice and fire glowed in Todoroki's hands. Izuku's skin sparked with the excess kinetic energy that formed One for All.

"Make sure they don't see you," Izuku said. "We still don't know their Quirks!"

"Roger."

"Confirmed."

"Got it!"

"Okay." He took a deep breath. "Now!"

For all intents and purposes, the plan went beautifully. Or it would have, if he wasn't involved in it.

Iida kept to the smoke, just as Izuku would have advised, maintaining a wide berth so that the two villains wouldn't see his approach— they didn't have time to react before he was upon them, Ochako tapping each of their faces with the pads on her fingers. As soon as Iida was clear, Todoroki shot off some ice and veered toward the villain on the right. Izuku darted to the left.

He kept pace with his friend, and had everything gone correctly, they would have landed their attacks simultaneously and ended the apprehension then and there.

But of course, Izuku was off his game today.

He didn't notice before that his shoes had come untied during the initial explosion.

But he _did _notice when he sprang off a building, his foot catching on his shoelace, sending him sprawling head-over-heels into the villain he was _supposed _to be knocking out.

Ochako moved as soon as she saw Todoroki emerge from the smoke. She couldn't see him frantically waving for her to wait. She couldn't see the villain grabbing menacingly at her best friend.

_"And release," _she said, tapping her fingers together.

Izuku couldn't scramble away fast enough.

Something heavy clamped around his ankle, forcing him off the ground. He reached out on instinct, summoning his Quirk, but something else closed around his hands, crushing his fingers together.

His body sparked and sparked, but with no way to release the energy, he was virtually helpless.

"Let go," he cried through gritted teeth.

"Heh, no way kid. You just made a big mistake."

_Argh..._

Finally, after trying fruitlessly to pry the villain's hands off, Izuku glanced up. He didn't recognize him, and going off that Izuku judged him to be a lower-tier creep who didn't know any better than to attack this part of the city. Most of the smart villains avoided coming so close to U.A. Despite this, though, he had Izuku. And that was _not _good.

The villain smirked, blocky head leaning in so close Izuku could smell his surprisingly minty breath. "So, a UA hero-in-the-making, eh? Don't tell me you're the kind of trash they're putting out these days." He straightened again. "Whatever. You may not make a good hero, but you'll certainly make a good hostage."

_Crap. _He struggled against him. If only he could get some leeway for his hand—

"I don't understand—" He could hear Ochako crying out in the distance. "He's more than strong enough for this, so why—"

"He tripped over his own two feet," Todoroki said succinctly.

_"Again?"_

Iida hummed in thought. "It is easy to forget that Midoriya can be rather, well, klutzy sometimes, for lack of a better word."

"S-Still alive here, guys," Izuku mumbled. _"Uh-wargh!"_

"Deku!"

"Hold on, we're coming!"

"Not a good idea," the villain said. "Unless you want me to fry this kid beyond recognition."

Izuku's eyes widened. The villain had jostled him so much that blood rushed to his head and spots flashed across his vision, but even he could see the electricity jumping from the villain's skin. Something pricked uncomfortably against him where the villain's hands made contact.

Some kind of spark Quirk?

His friends froze, not daring to move any closer. He didn't blame them. Even if he wasn't in danger, close combat with a villain like this was risky. Man, he had them in such a bad position here and he was such an idiot and this was all his fault and _if he could just get his hand free-_

"Out of the way!" a voice from above called, and Izuku's breath caught.

The voice didn't belong to one of his friends.

A shadow moved above him, silhouetted by the sun's brightness and his current upside-down position. It moved slowly, shouting a battle cry, stealing his friends' attention.

"A pro hero?" he murmured.

Before he lost himself to his headspace, though, he noticed that his friends weren't the only ones focused on the new arrival. The villain, too, had turned in surprise. And in doing so, had loosened his grip just a little.

That was all Izuku needed.

He pressed his index finger against his thumb, calling on the energy that One for All had given to him. With as much force as he could muster, he released the hold on his fingers, flicking his hand back as he did.

"_Delaware Smash!"_

The villain didn't even have time to react—the wind pressure Izuku released in that moment sent them flying in opposite directions. Izuku slipped from his grasp, the villain crashing into one of the partly-destroyed floral arrangements. Izuku, meanwhile, catapulted back and collided with something unstable.

Whatever it was fell across his torso as he landed, skidding across the pavement. It also had a distinctly male voice, crying out in shock as it bowled over him.

"Ngh…" Izuku grasped his forehead, glancing at his unwitting victim. "I'm sorry about that, pardon—me…"

He dropped his hand. There, across from him, stood a man he had never seen before. But judging by the copious amount of spandex and the cape hanging from his shoulders, Izuku knew he had to be a hero. One he didn't know— he had, admittedly, been slacking off on the hero forums lately—

"Are you stupid or something? Hey, kid, I'm talking to you!"

"Huh? Uh—" He blinked. It was the hero who had spoken. He looked up, still unable to see due to the sun's brightness. He used one arm to shield his face. "Oh, sorry, I—"

"Scram!"

"R-Right…"

With more difficulty than necessary, Izuku hoisted himself to his feet, turning to regroup with Ochako, Todoroki, and Iida. However, when he stopped to glance back, something froze him in his tracks. The hero was inhaling sharply. For some reason, Izuku could see water dripping down his chin.

The villain was unperturbed— in fact, he was grinning.

And then, it clicked.

_"Wait!" _Izuku cried, and before the hero could shoot off the spray of water from his mouth, the boy was on the move. He punched out, creating a gust of wind so powerful that the hero's geyser dissolved into little more than springtime mist. Izuku sighed in relief. "Sorry, but that guy's Quirk has to do with electricity! If your attack made contact, it would've—"

"Insolent brat! What the _hell _do you think you're doing?"

Izuku shrank back, lowering his arm. "I—"

The hero seethed. Confused, Izuku took in his appearance— regular bulk, dark hair, five o'clock shadow hidden by a thick mustache. Pretty nondescript considering he could name about five heroes off the top of his head who shared the same traits. He racked his brain, desperate to say something, but the hero stalked forward with clenched fists. "Don't you think I'd _know _my own weaknesses?"

Izuku swallowed. His eyes grazed over the hero, searching for _something, _searching his face, his stature, his suit, _his suit—_

His full-bodied suit, thicker than Izuku had noticed before, padded with something relatively malleable.

Something that looked a lot like rubber.

A chill slipped down Izuku's back.

What was _wrong _with him?

In the few seconds their little exchange took, the villain saw renewed opportunity. He dashed away and used his considerable brute strength on some nearby cars, setting off a chain of explosions and once again dousing the plaza in smoke. The hero charged after him, though Izuku knew the villain had already gone from where the hero was running. Unsure of what to do with himself, Izuku shuffled back—inactivity didn't feel right, but with the damage he'd caused already—

Another explosion sounded somewhere to his left. Of course— this was a dangerous situation, and people were at stake. It didn't _matter _how he felt. Taking a deep breath, Izuku closed his eyes and focused.

Harsh grunting alerted him that the hero had engaged in combat. It lasted for about a minute, dynamic and moving fast, so that Izuku couldn't tell where it was coming from. Then, it all fell silent again. Izuku's eyes opened wide in panic as he moved to follow where he last heard the noise, but something in the air shifted behind him, causing his hair to stand on end.

"Don't think I forgot about you, kiddo," someone snarled behind him.

Izuku turned. To his horror, the villain loomed just above him, sparks already lit in the palm of his hand. Izuku raised his arms to block. But with nothing to protect himself, he knew he was in trouble.

Until a pair of light footsteps broke though the wreckage, carrying a brown blur with them.

"_Deku!"_

He didn't have time to act before something shoved him sideways, pushing all its weight against his upper body. He braced himself to make painful contact with the ground, but that collision never came— instead, a familiar feeling of weightlessness pulled at his midsection, and he slowly opened his eyes.

Ochako had attached herself to him, breaking both their falls. However, her Zero Gravity had left her just within the villain's range, and the tiny electrical storm he produced grazed her back.

She cried out in pain, and they were suddenly falling again.

Izuku managed to catch himself, immediately extending his arms for Ochako to fall into. He steadied her as she forced herself to her knees, body shaking,

"O-ow." She winced. "Not exactly fast enough."

"Uraraka, are you okay?"

"Yeah, I think so…"

He bit his lip. The back of her dress shirt was pretty charred. It didn't look like the villain's attack was strong enough to burn her, and even though that was relieving, a lump still formed in his throat at the thought of her taking that hit for him. If he'd just been _better—_

"I feel weird," she murmured.

"Huh?"

Swallowing down his nausea, he dropped to his knees. Looking her over, there didn't appear to be anything wrong, but—

"I c-can't stop shaking. Ugh, I f-feel awful—"

"Bad move, sweetheart."

Izuku was on his feet in an instant, throwing out one arm, keeping Uraraka squarely behind his legs as the hulking figure rematerialized in the smoke. He kept his eyes forward as he spoke. "Uraraka, can you stand?"

"I d-don't think so. Sorry, Deku.

He tensed. The electricity might not have left a mark, but evidently the shock had still wound her muscles up so that she couldn't move them. He'd been unlucky enough to be on the receiving end of Kaminari's misplaced attacks a couple of times now, and the aftermath always left him numb. He could only imagine what taking a direct hit from a Quirk like that would do to somebody. So, instead, he crept closer to her. He could probably carry her away with ease, but the hero had disappeared. As it stood, the villain remained unopposed.

He knew he couldn't leave.

"O-Okay, I'll protect you."

_"You?" _the villain said with a smirk. "I don't know if you're off your game or just off your rocker, kiddo." Izuku raised his fists, energy glinting around him. The villain's grin grew wider. "Ah, there's that fighting spirit."

"Deku," Ochako murmured apprehensively.

The villain stepped forward. Izuku did, too. And suddenly, they were speeding toward each other, arms primed to unleash attacks bigger than either of them. They shifted and dodged, weaving around each other. Neither allowed the other a hit. Even as they used their Quirks, their efforts were averted in the next instant. It seemed that no matter what he did Izuku could not gain ground against his opponent.

All the while, from the corner of his eye, he could see Ochako struggling to stand. That was good. The sooner she was on her feet, the sooner she could search for the pro hero—

The villain's eyes zeroed in on his own. And then, he followed his gaze— right to Ochako.

His opponent grunted. "Looking for help, little hero? Guess I should put her in the ground, then."

He swept his arm out, catching Izuku off-guard and shoving the boy onto his back. Izuku yelled out in both pain and frustration as he met the gravel. He launched himself back to his feet, but the villain had already left him.

Ochako looked up, inhaling sharply.

Panic seized Izuku's chest. His eyes were wild. He reached out in desperation— some protecting he'd done.

"Uraraka, no!"

Her hands went up, poised to strike with her Quirk, but with the way the villain was positioned it would be extremely hard for her to land a hit. Her martial arts experience wouldn't help here, with a Quirk like that. Izuku couldn't move fast enough. The villain's hands sparked again— _no, no, no—_

"Uraraka!"

Something focused in the smoke behind her, and she screamed.

Izuku's blood ran cold. The dust made his eyes burn—_or were those tears?— _and he hastily raised his fists to wipe them, forcing his body from the ground. His chest still ached from where he'd slammed into the concrete, or maybe that was worry, he couldn't tell anymore. Everything was moving too fast. It was all blurring together. He couldn't think straight.

One thought, though, drowned out all the others. _Uraraka, Uraraka, no, Uraraka—_

Silence returned to the plaza— he hadn't heard anything since she'd screamed. What was that supposed to mean? Was she hurt? Unconscious? _Gone? _

Stumbling to his feet, he swallowed past the lump in his throat. He made for her direction, one hand clutching his bruising side, the other grasping onto cars and chunks of debris to keep himself from falling over again. Where had they been? He could've sworn she wasn't this far away.

And then, he sensed it. Movement on his right. He raised his fists to counter, pivoting in that direction, when a clear voice rang out.

_"And release! _Deku, heads up!"

Pebbles rained around him. Just above, several concrete slabs fell— and amongst them all was Ochako, dangling haphazardly in the mystery hero's arms. Relief crashed down as heavily as her projectiles, especially when he noticed that she'd managed to catch the villain too, the hero gauging his fall to land near to him.

"Hey, boy!" he called, and Izuku looked up, blinking. The hero's eyes flicked impatiently to Izuku. "Are you at least coordinated enough to catch?"

Ochako's eyes widened. "Hey, wait— _eek!"_

The hero launched her in something that could vaguely pass as Izuku's direction, using a spray of water to maneuver himself closer to the villain before gravity fully reclaimed him. Izuku, meanwhile, shot forward in a burst of energy. He managed to break Ochako's fall, scrambling behind her as she turned to puke into the nearest sewage drain. Between the electric shock and floating herself, the skirmish must've taken a lot out of her.

"Are you all right?" he asked, concern lacing his voice.

She still looked a bit pale, but flashed a peace sign, a sheepish grin on her lips. "All in a day's work, I guess."

Izuku barely had time to return his own wobbly smile when heavy footsteps startled both of them. Through the clearing smoke, they saw the hero, dragging the disgruntled villain behind him by a pair of handcuffs. Izuku exhaled, looking gratefully up to him. "Thanks for your help!"

"You." His fists tightened. He stomped right past Ochako, shoving his finger in Izuku's face. "Are you some kinda idiot?"

Incredibly, the world around him faded away. His chest tightened again. "I-I—"

"Hey!" Ochako interrupted. "Don't talk to him like that!"

"Wait—Uraraka— I was just—"

"You've done enough." The hero straightened. But Izuku didn't focus on that. Instead, the slightest movement caught his eye, and it felt as if he'd swallowed sand.

The hero's balled fist had reared back, only a little.

Just a little.

But Izuku had already thrown his arms over his head.

It was a knee-jerk reaction. His tension was running high. He had so much on his mind. He hadn't meant to let his emotions bubble up, honestly, but it'd just startled him so badly—

Ochako, on instinct, reached out for him, but stopped short of actually touching his shoulder. Her eyes filled with worry. "Deku…"

The hero, taken aback, glanced from his hand to the boy. "What is your _problem? _'Deku?' That's your name? Gotta say, that's a damn fitting one."

"Knock it off!"

"Back down, sweetheart. I'm not done. Aren't heroes in training supposed to have good instincts? Yeah? You have a lot to show for that, brat. Your judgement put a lot of people in danger back there. Not least of all myself. Even between you and your little girlfriend here, all you managed to do was get in the way. She saved your ass and coulda been hurt a lot worse, you realize that?"

At this, Izuku found his voice. Even though it cracked like his heart was starting to, he whispered as forcefully as he could, "Of course I do."

"Deku, no-"

"And another, thing— what the hell are a bunch of students doing here, anyway? You aren't allowed to use your Quirks like this! You should all be fined—"

"Actually, we are one hundred percent legally allowed to help out in an emergency. Here's our state-issued proof."

They all turned. Todoroki and Iida walked toward them, looking just as worse for the wear as they did, scratches littering their faces and arms. In one hand, Todoroki's wallet was open, revealing his provincial license. "Pardon our late return. We were busy securing the civilians. But, as you can see, we are morally and lawfully obligated to help out when the situation demands it, so if you could stop harassing our friend, that would be great."

"Let me see that." The hero snatched the wallet from Todoroki's hands, reading over the permit. Begrudgingly, he handed it back, wrinkling his nose. "What, do they hand those out to just anybody these days?"

"Have you ever heard the term 'bedside manner?' Not all heroes are created equal."

"And what is that supposed to mean?"

"Empathy goes a long way. There's more to being a hero than just strength." Todoroki sighed tiredly. "I know a lot who've found that out the hard way."

Iida nodded gravely. "Indeed."

"Heroes, huh? 'Empathy?' You are a bunch of children. And it shows. Those mistakes and that recklessness were some of the most pitiful excuses for hero work that I've ever seen, especially this kid. How could someone like _him _ever become a hero?" The man's eyes flashed. "A hero who can't even save himself isn't worth saving at all. If I'm the one who has to introduce you to reality, then so be it."

Instantly, they all stiffened. Izuku wished he could make himself smaller. Smaller than the pebbles, as small as he felt. This time Ochako's hand did land on his shoulder. She squeezed it tightly.

"I don't think you understand who you're talking to."

"You take that back right now!"

"Deku is more of a hero than you'll ever be!"

They began bickering back and forth, the hero scathingly critiquing their every move, but it eventually dulled into a drone to Izuku. He shut his eyes, tight. Much different voices filtered through.

He'd embarrassed himself in front of a pro hero, someone who, in essence, he wanted to be someday.

And because of him, Ochako had gotten hurt, and could've been a lot worse off.

_You can't become a hero!_

_You're even worse than the rest of these damn rejects!_

_You had no business putting yourself in danger like that._

"No, guys. It's okay."

He swallowed, pulling his arms around his midsection.

_Take a swan dive off the roof of the building._

Izuku dropped his gaze. "He's not the first to think that."

"Well, maybe if you hear it enough, you'll eventually listen."

"Okay, I've had quite enough," Todoroki said, voice even. Though the growl beneath was unmistakable. "You've said your piece, so leave us alone."

"I don't think so—"

_"_ _Now."_

Todoroki didn't have to activate his Quirk to be intimidating. He had a fire within his eyes that was plenty effective enough for that. With one last scoff, the hero turned, walking toward the small crowd of reporters who'd gathered a few yards away. "Any of you will be lucky to be heroes. Mark my words on that."

And just like that, it was over. Todoroki pursed his lips. "Who was that guy?"

"Hydrovalve," Ochako replied, cocking one hip. "He must be new, I've never heard of him before. Of all the heroes that could've shown up just now—"

"Seems like a charmer."

"Totally."

They were broken from their revelry when sirens finally rang out across the plaza. Todoroki shook his head. "Well, it took them long enough."

"Yeah—"

Izuku scrambled from the ground, turning his back on his friends. Ochako cried out when he accidentally ripped himself from her grasp, but it was too late to apologize now. He didn't brush back his hair like he normally would, instead allowing it to fall into his eyes. It was uncomfortable with all the dirt on his face, but not as uncomfortable as the stinging within them.

He spoke over his shoulder to them. "Can you guys give the statement? I, um, have uh, homework. Yeah." He sniffed, running the sleeve of his blazer across his cheek. "Those papers won't write themselves."

"Midoriya…"

Todoroki's eyes softened. "Of course."

"Hey, Deku, wait…" Ochako murmured, stepping forward.

Iida didn't look entirely comfortable with his response, but made no protest as Izuku paced away from them. He was less than a block away when green lightning surrounded him, Full Cowl boosting his movements, and he disappeared down an alley they knew to be a shortcut back to campus. Iida reached out numbly. "Ah, he knows we aren't supposed to use our Quirks in public—"

Ochako didn't know why, but in that moment, an extreme sadness overcame her.

Todoroki huffed. "Someone should make sure he's okay."

They looked to her, and despite herself, she could feel a blush coloring her cheeks. "I dunno guys, wouldn't he feel more comfortable with one of you?"

"Well, you are the closest to him out of the three of us."

"Midoriya thinks quite highly of you. He always seems more relaxed when you're around, behind the jumpiness. I attribute it to your delicate and nonjudgmental feminine nature," Iida supplied.

She shifted uncomfortably. "We're best friends."

They nodded. Groaning, Ochako looked down the street, to the alley where Izuku had run. He was probably over halfway to the dorms by now— she'd seen the way he could move with his newfound control over his Quirk. "Yeah, I guess you guys are right. What that hero said must've really hurt him."

"Go on, we'll take care of things here," Todoroki said gently. "No one deserves to be talked down to like that. Least of all Midoriya."

Even the spark villain whistled. "It _was _pretty brutal."

Ochako shook her head and ran after Izuku.

She hoped she could get him to talk to her.

* * *

His door was closed when she made it to the dorms.

That wasn't surprising, but still— there was no music coming from inside, no lights under the door's crack, no fidgeting, no mumbling, _nothing. _It was so silent. Deku was the type who kept to himself, sure, but his vitality always seeped into the spaces he occupied. If he was present, it was easy to tell. But this was different. The stillness was permeated with tension, thick with disappointment. It weighed down on her as she brushed her fingertips across his nametag.

Softly, the rapped on the door. She didn't want to startle him in this state.

"Deku?" she murmured. "It's me."

She waited for a few moments, but there was no response. She sighed. She didn't want to force him to talk if he needed time alone, but she didn't want him to _be _alone, either. Dropping her hand, she paused again, unsure of what to do. Her heart ached at the thought of someone she cared so much for hiding his sadness like this.

Despite every muscle in her body screaming otherwise, she turned to leave. _Guess I'll come back later…_

And then, she stopped again. Her phone flashed to life.

_Deku: It's unlocked._

Ochako frowned. Okay, that had her worried. He was the quiet type but he always graciously received her whenever she came to visit. His door would open and he'd greet her with that shy smile of his, and she'd sit on his bed and he'd sit at his desk and they would rave for hours about heroes and movies and their dreams and about how hard class was. _That _was the Izuku she knew. Anything else just seemed… wrong.

She turned to the door, creeping in as unobtrusively as she could. Just like she predicted, it was dark in here, the only soft light coming from the streaming, dying evening glow between his curtains. She flipped the lock behind her. From the corner of her eye, she swore she saw Deku flinch, and sadness filtered through her again.

He was worse than he let on.

A thin lump under his blankets alerted her to his location, his dark hair jutting out like it was some kind of extra décor pillow. His tie and red high-top sneakers lay discarded on the floor next to his bed. She picked her way through, taking a seat on his rolling chair, spinning around like she was searching his walls for something to say. All Might's face was everywhere, but even he couldn't show her what to do. She twiddled her thumbs, wishing for a way to calm him down, and that was when something on his desk caught her eye.

His hero booklet was opened towards the back, to a new page she knew hadn't existed before today.

_Hydrovalve. Quirk: Water Gun._

A hasty sketch of the hero— which was pretty good, if Ochako did say so herself— was heavy on the shading. Something else was scrawled beneath the stats. In the margins, in Deku's messy handwriting, it read: _Plus ultra jerk._

"That's so petty," she murmured, and he merely sank deeper into the blankets in response.

She shot a pleading glance skyward, desperate for some way to relieve him of his burdens. She wasn't sure if she was qualified for this kind of pep talk, especially given the way she handled her own problems. She wasn't sure if anything she said would make a difference.

Maybe she shouldn't be here at all.

And just like that, the second thoughts flooded through her and she stood. She opened her mouth to give him parting encouragement, but just as quickly, she snapped it shut again.

What was she doing?

It didn't matter if she was qualified or not. Because, at the end of the day, he would _never _leave her while she was feeling like this. And who was she to say that he inspired her when she couldn't even replicate the single thing that inspired her the most?

_"Empathy goes a long way. There's more to being a hero than just strength."_

It was her duty as a hero— but even more than that, as his best friend— to save him.

This was _Deku. _And he was hurting.

Ignoring the blush on her cheeks and crippling nausea in her core, she slipped into his bed and under his blankets to lay beside him. It was kind of cramped for two of them, but he didn't protest—he didn't even get flustered, and that was what really concerned her. He always had a hard time being physically close to people unless he was the one initiating the contact, and even then he'd work himself up sometimes. And now, she guessed, she knew why.

She'd known that his anxiety was bad. But she never fully understood it until she saw it firsthand.

They sat in silence for a few minutes, just staring at the ceiling, not moving for so long that Ochako began making constellations out of the clumps of sheetrock above them. She wished she knew what to say. But what _can _you say, to something like this?

"So… do you wanna talk about it?"

Inwardly, she winced. Bad. What was she, his _therapist?_

Deku tilted his head like he was trying to figure out what she just said. She didn't blame him.

She bit her lip. On bad days, adding skittishness on top of that, it can be hard to think straight—no matter how perceptive the person is usually. It's like someone's whole momentum could be swung out from under them. Given how high Izuku's anxiety was running by the time of the villain attack, it was no _wonder_ he reacted the way he did. Honestly, if it was anyone else, she would've questioned why he didn't bail sooner. And, on top of that, Deku had let on about how he'd been treated in the past. She knew he'd been bullied. Even if she couldn't understand it.

How anyone could hate Izuku was beyond her. He was, like, sunshine incarnate. How could someone look at those perpetually-watery eyes and that precious smile of his and not want to protect them forever? Everything about him—from his sweet, gentle, sincere, passionate nature to his freckles and his messy hair, right down to the tips of his clunky red high-tops. She loved everything about him. And despite how easy it was to defer to her feelings, she knew this wasn't just her crush talking. Everyone in Class A would agree, even Bakugo, though he'd never admit it. Todoroki and Iida adored him. Kirishima, Tsu, and Tokoyami respected him a lot. And as for her, well— Deku was the best friend she could ever ask for.

And yet, words failed her when she tried to voice this. So instead, she focused on what she _could _say. On the things he deserved to hear.

"I wish you could see yourself like I do."

He shifted minutely, but it was a start.

"I've told you before that I think you're amazing. I'm not just saying that, either. You're so smart, and dedicated, a-and honest, and optimistic. But you care so much about the people around you. About how they feel, and about what you can do to make their lives better. I guess that's why you take things to heart so easily. You're so focused on doing everything you can for others, that when they react badly, you feel like you've failed them in some way. Like you failed at being a hero. That's why you're so hard on yourself around people, isn't it?"

It was a long time before he gave any indication that he'd heard her. Ochako gave him his time, watching apprehensively as his shoulders rose and he began shaking. It looked as if he was fighting against himself. Izuku did that a lot, she noticed. Doubting every move he made.

Eventually, the mattress sank beneath her and he moved. He heaved himself so that he lay on his opposite side, facing her. The evening glimmer casted deep shadows on his face, pale and slightly damp, but his emerald green eyes still shone as brightly as ever— even if they carried deep uncertainty.

His voice was so small. "…I was just trying to help."

"I know."

"All I did was make things worse."

"That's not true."

"You…" He glanced down, unable to meet her eyes. "You got hurt. Because of me."

She sighed. "Deku, it wasn't that big of a deal."

"But—"

"Deku."

This time, she sighed deeply. Annoyance flickered across her face. "I got a minor injury because I was trying to help someone in need— just like you would do, just like I wanted to do, just like I _signed up _to do. That was completely my choice, and I don't regret it. This kinda thing happens, okay?" She pouted. "Sheesh, you act like this stuff is avoidable. And it wasn't because of you, either. We can't all Detroit Smash every villain we come across with a perfect record."

It might've been because of the lighting, but she could've sworn that his face pinked, just a little. Still, he pulled the blanket up to his nose, making his eyes look even brighter. "I guess you're right. I've just… had the most awful day, Uraraka."

"What happened, Deku?"

"Uh…" He tensed.

"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, I guess. But still, I…" Suddenly she couldn't meet his gaze, either. How was she supposed to bring something like this up? "Iida... told me that you cry a lot."

"I…"

Panic flared in his eyes, and he shuffled away from her— he probably didn't even realize it. She threw her hands up. "Don't be embarrassed by it. I think that's really good, actually! That means you don't try to hold the bad stuff in all the time. But— he also told me what you told him after Hosu. About how you thought that being a better friend, being there to support him, pressing him when you knew something was wrong— that that would somehow have changed what happened. And yeah, this is a different set of circumstances. But I think the same principle applies here." She met his eyes again. "I'm not going to let you suffer when I know you're sad."

They sat in silence for a few moments, not saying anything. Ochako's words hung thick between them. And then, she realized what she said. Heat flooded her face and if it wasn't for Deku's discouraged state, she would've floated right out the window. But she held steady. Especially when she saw tears brimming in his eyes.

He made that same weird face that he did every time he got overly emotional. Suddenly Ochako's voice squeaked as loudly as his was. "Oh, no, I didn't upset you did I?"

"N-no." He scrubbed at his eyes. "It—it just means a lot to me that you care so much."

"Well, of course I do, Deku. You're my best friend."

For the first time, the heaviness retreated from his eyes— if only just a little. "Yeah, you're mine too. Thank you, Uraraka. I just…" He sniffled again, and the tears were back full force. They trailed through the dirt on his face as they streamed down. "I had a really, _really _bad day."

"Do you have a lot of those?"

"Sorta? I guess. It's… some things are hard for me, and sometimes everything catches up and spills over and— look at me, I'm a mess— and it happens more than I would like for it to and I hate bothering you guys about it because you all have your own problems and honestly I'm just happy to be with you and I want to not feel like this because I don't really have a reason to, not anymore—"

"Deku."

He blinked. "Huh?"

"Breathe."

"S-sorry… I just remember sometimes. I remember what it was like to be Quirkless and defenseless and it's hard sometimes. I-I-I— even after how far I've come, I still feel it. Like I'll never be the hero I want to be and deep down I'm still that clumsy kid and I shouldn't feel like this, I thought it'd go away eventually and—"

"Hey." She snapped her fingers, getting his attention_. "Breathe. _You're just rambling again."

"Sorry."

He'd mentioned that his Quirk had manifested late, so he'd gone most of his life thinking he didn't have one. There was no way that his self-image had repaired itself after years and years of being different. And that, she guessed, was where the bullying came in. Softly, she smiled. "No, don't apologize. But… I don't think something like this can ever really go away, you know? It's not great, but… it's a part of you. A scary, demanding part, but it's still yours. Just like your personality… or your Quirk. You can make it listen to you. But just like with anything else, it'll take practice. And it'll be hard. But that's nothing to be ashamed of."

She reached across the sheets. Before she could stop herself, she spread her hand across his chest, pressing down a little when he curled in on himself. Not once did it occur to her that this was wrong. He still looked terrified, and she could feel his heart hammering against her palm. But his eyes looked to her in wonder.

"We all have our challenges. And this is just one of yours. You feel things deeply, Deku. There's nothing wrong with that."

"But, what I did today—" A fresh wave of tears pooled up. "You guys deserve better from me."

"You're the dumbest smart person I've ever met."

Deku opened his mouth, closed it, and then repeated the process so much that Ochako was concerned he'd forgotten how to breathe again. Would he start hyperventilating? He was close enough to it already. She threaded her fingers deeper into his shirt. He stuttered out an inquiry, and she was able to decipher the intent behind it. _I want to help. I want to help. I want to help._

"How one battle went? Doesn't matter. You did what you were able to, and you know what? That's enough, because you still managed to do good. We love you, Izuku Midoriya. Even the scary parts. We knew what we were signing up for when we became your friends, and nothing we've seen makes us want to back out. We want all of you, and we'll settle for nothing less." She puffed her cheeks out. "No matter what some plus ultra jerk has to say about it." Curiously, Ochako felt a stinging in her own eyes. "What I'm trying to say here is that I know what you want— to be the symbol of peace for everyone. Because everyone deserves something to believe in, right? You've told me that before. But you can't be the symbol of peace when you're not at peace yourself. You can't keep blaming yourself for the things that happen, or the way you feel. And you can't keep carrying stuff like this alone."

His shoulders sank back into the blankets. "I can't rely on everyone else to handle my problems forever."

"Even heroes need saving sometimes, Deku. It's easier to face battles with friends, don't you think? Everyone needs something to believe in. Even you."

"Even… me…"

Was that really so strange to him? That someone like her would worry? With all that he'd been through, with all that he willingly put himself through, of course she would.

She swore she spent half her waking hours worrying about him.

Izuku held her gaze for a moment longer before his eyes slid shut, shoulders racked with impending sobs. Shyly, she held her arms out to him. He took a moment to fight with himself about giving in, but eventually his pain won out, and he melted against her. He buried his head into her shoulder, and she rolled her eyes good-naturedly. Just as quickly, her expression softened. She ran her hand through his scruffy hair. "O-Okay. It's all right, Deku. I'm right here for you."

"Uraraka," he whined. His poor gravelly voice shattered. Despite herself, Ochako felt like crying, too. Deku didn't deserve to feel like this, not ever. "Thank you. Thank you, I'm sorry, thank you—"

"Quit apologizing!"

"Sorry— I mean, uh—"

His stutters died in his throat as she stroked his hair again. He made a few weird squeaky noises, body tensing, but as soon as she repeated the motion he just… gave into it. Like he was so starved for a comforting touch that desperation won out over his apprehension. Normally, she'd only dream of holding him like this, but he so obviously needed it that she set aside her own stupid qualms. His arms moved awkwardly over her shoulders, like he wasn't sure what to do with them. Eventually, he just settled for draping them across her waist and twisting his fingers into her singed dress shirt. He pulled himself closer.

"Take as much time as you need, Deku," she whispered. "I'm not going anywhere."

It might have been due to the dorm's thin walls, but Izuku was quiet as he cried into her collar bone. Once the shaking began again, Ochako tightened her embrace as much as she could, wanting to give him the most comforting hug a friend could give. Her nose twitched and burned as tears of her own slid down her cheeks, falling onto Deku's pillow. And they cried.

Ochako wasn't sure how long they stayed like that. She only knew that they both were drowsy when it ended, and Deku finally got his breathing under control again. His heartbeat settled back to normal. Now, he just rested tiredly against her, eyes heavy and sad, but less so than when she'd arrived.

She loosened her grip, ready to let him go, but this only made Deku jump. He whimpered, and she glanced down in concern. "Hey…"

"Um… I know this is weird, but… can we stay like this a little longer? Please? I mean, we don't have to or anything, but… Well, I've never had a friend as close as you before, so… this is kinda nice."

Ochako smiled. He really had a problem with seeing the forest for the trees. "Yeah, of course."

He relaxed. He still had an unsure frown on his face, but some of his color had returned. Without letting go of him, she maneuvered so that she could look in his eyes, pressing their foreheads together. A blush dusted her nose, and Izuku looked even more flustered than she did, but he didn't draw away.

She brushed his last few tears away with her thumb, careful not to activate her Quirk. "Are you okay, Deku?"

He sniffled again, rubbing at his sunken eyes. His voice was scratchy when he spoke, but laced less with unbridled emotion, and more with the tiredness that came after something like this. "I…" He titled his head in thought, and swallowed. "I will be."

"I'm glad. I hate seeing you so upset, you know?"

His breath hitched again, but it appeared that he was wrung dry. He tightened his grip on her. "Thank you, Uraraka."

"You don't have to thank me, Deku. That's what friends are for."

"No."

This time, he did pull back, so that he firmly met her gaze. His hands moved so that they clutched her small shoulders. Ochako was very aware of how gently he held them— like he didn't want to break her. For the first time that day, his eyes shone with the fierceness he often hid so well. He only wore that look when he was very serious. "Uraraka… you've _always_ been there for me. Ever since the day we met. Even when we weren't friends. You've always been so kind to me, from our first day here to the mock battles to the training camp. What you did at the entrance exams was the single nicest thing anyone's ever done for me, and I just… _thank you._ I'd… probably still be crying like a little kid right now if you hadn't followed me."

_"There's more to being a hero than just strength."_

"You've done a lot for me too, Deku," she whispered. "Just returning the favor."

The wonder returned to his eyes. He was probably confused at what she meant by that, but before he had time to question her, something caught her attention. Something hard buzzed across Ochako's hip. Izuku squeaked in surprise, then reached down, pulling out his phone. He shifted to his back, frowning.

Ochako scooted closer, leaning her head against his shoulder. Two texts lit up his lock screen.

_Mom: I love you, sweetie. Get some rest._

_All Might: Inspector Tsukauchi just informed me of your efforts. Excellent work today, young Midoriya! I am very proud of how you and your friends deescalated a potentially deadly situation. Keep striving on your way to becoming a hero!_

Ochako smiled. "I guess Iida and Todoroki cleaned up everything."

"Yeah," he mumbled. "I'll have to thank them later."

Humming slightly, Ochako brushed her hand over Izuku's arm, taking in the bumpy skin that formed his scars. "I know you felt bad about yourself in the past. But you're changing that now. Like you said yourself— you're not weak anymore. You can become a hero, Deku, but you know what? To me, you already are one."

Ochako could only laugh when he pulled her in again, crying harder than he had at all that night.

He'd be okay. And she would be there to see it.

* * *

**Thank you so much for reading!**


End file.
